XDCAM Transfer and Log Plugin ? Codec same as TRansfer 2.8

[Thompson Coles]

to the best of my knowledge you must use the Sony software independent of FCP. The transfer software that you download doesn’t integrate into FCP like the P2 transfer does. I Primarily use the XD Discs but I think it’s about the same with sxs. Launch the software, fill in any meta data you wish then Import the footage in full resolution to the computer (this step is really changing the MXF wrapper to a MOV) after that you can import your footage into FCP like any other file.

[Rafael Amador]

When you install the SONY Transfer application, you can import the clips directly from your SxS card in FC or as stand alone. Works great.
You can also export back to the SxS cards as original .mp4 files.
If you want to convert EX-1 to ProRess or you do it with a video card (the best option) or with FC or Compressor. FC Media Manager is the easiest way.
Have a nice holidays,
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Andy Mees]

The Log and Transfer plugin (PDZK-LT1) allows import from XDCAM EX devices from with FCP’s own Log and Transfer interface. It does NOT transcode to another format, it simply transfers the native video essence to your hard disc whilst simultaneously rewrapping that video in an FCP compatible QuickTime Movie wrapper … the same goes for Sony’s XDCAM Transfer application (PDZK-P1) ie rewrap NOT transcode.

If you want to transcode to ProRes 422 or another codec at capture then you will need to capture it directly from baseband using a suitable I/O device. Alternatively you can recompress the transfered files after ingest using Compresor or similar, or using FCP’s Media Manager >> Recompress option.

[Cosmin Osorhean]

you have to convert to ProRess, when working with XDCAM, because as you guys said it is a rewrap, so you want your file to be the original file, especially for compositing, titles or special effects.
am I right?
someone said that it is enough to change the codec in the sequence settings, but I don’t think that would be enough, or would it?

Rafael, how do you “convert to ProResss using a video card”? how is this better then compressor or QT?

yes, you can do it with the log and transfer from final cut, but it is faster to use the transfer software when you are on the field.

thank you

cosmin

[Rafael Amador]

[cosmin osorhean] “you have to convert to ProRess, when working with XDCAM, because as you guys said it is a rewrap, so you want your file to be the original file, especially for compositing, titles or special effects. am I right? “
Rewrapping means that there is no transcoding. You change only the envelope but the picture and audio information is exactly the same pixel by pixel. The file in the SxS card can not be readed by QT so you rewrap it in a file format that QT can understand.

[cosmin osorhean] “someone said that it is enough to change the codec in the sequence settings, but I don’t think that would be enough, or would it? “
To change the codec in the Sequence Setting will only make that your renders and export being ProRess but this don’t gonna transcode the rushes.
Personally I prefer capture and edit in EX-1 and render and export in ProRess. I don’t work with so many layer to need trancoding to ProRess.
The advantage of capturing through a video card is that it filters the Chroma when going from 420 to 422 improving the picture quality. You plug he HDI/SDI-SD of your EX-1 to an AJA or BlackMagic and do it in real time. The same process (Chroma Filtering and transcoding) would take long time in FC.
Cheers,
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Ray Nygren]

I guess it makes sense to capture with intensity or AJA kona realtime to add the empty 4:2:0 with 4:2:2 but with hundreds of clips some of whic you want to keep and others pitched this would require a lot of labor. I dont understand why the 2.8 FCP import would be faster then the log and transfer is doing the same thing rewrapping. I noticed the export to MOV also keeps the XDCAM format and I tried it in Toast titanium 9 with blu-ray plugin and it transcoded to blue-ray format (still dont think its h.264 as it took a couple of hours for 40 minutes. I guess I would like to transcode rought cut clips on timeline to pro res 422 HQ then reimport for compositing then export to squeeze to parallel process to h.264 for import into adobe encore for blu ray authoring. I did not understand the chroma filter issue. I thought that going from 4:2:0 XDCAM EX to pro res 4:2:2 would just fill with empty space and the advantage was that math operations for video effect would have better rounding properties so you could get up to 3 streams ( I guess 5 is the limit for 4:2:2 8 bit. You can also get a bit more by capturing to 10 bit but I heard its not worth the additional storage.) Can you forward me compressor settings for XDCAM EX to Pro Res 422 HQ transcode in compressor?

Thanks
Ray

[Rafael Amador]

[Ray Nygren] “I did not understand the chroma filter issue. I thought that going from 4:2:0 XDCAM EX to pro res 4:2:2 would just fill with empty space and the advantage was that math operations for video effect would have better rounding properties so you could get up to 3 streams “
A simple transcoding 420>422 just “fill the empty spaces”. With Chroma Filtering it fill the spaces in an intelligent way improving the look of the picture.
If there is any advantage of ProRess over EX-1 or any other MPG-2 format is because is intraframe. If you set 5 layers of ProRess you are de-compressing and managing 5 frames of pictures at the time. If you set 5 layers of MPG-2 you are uncompressing and processing 5 full GOPs.

[Ray Nygren] “I guess it makes sense to capture with intensity or AJA kona realtime to add the empty 4:2:0 with 4:2:2 but with hundreds of clips some of whic you want to keep and others pitched this would require a lot of labo”
With the new SONY Transfer you can download your EX-1 footage to FC, select what you want and send it back to the SxS card. Then you can capture via AJA.

[Ray Nygren] “you could get up to 3 streams ( I guess 5 is the limit for 4:2:2 8 bit. You can also get a bit more by capturing to 10 bit but I heard its not worth the additional storage.)”
Proress is 10b.
If you want to transcode EX-1 to Proress, just build your EX-1 sequence, drop the Nattress “Chroma Smooth/Sharpen”, change the sequence codec to Proress and “Render all YUV in High Precision” .
It will take time but you will get the closet result to when capturing through a video card.
Cheers,
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Ray Nygren]

Thaks for the info however I have Boris Continium Complete and have bee loking thru their 342 filters. Any clue as to the best choice in BCC complete that is close to Nattress “Chroma Smooth/Sharpen”,
Thanks
Ray

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Ray,
I don’t have Boris CC. I’ve been looking for the list of effects but I haven’t found it.
if you send it to me I my tell you if there is any effect that works similar to the Nattress.
Cheers,
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Ray,
No one of those filters sound like to work for Chroma Smoothing.
Get your self the Nattress.
The Chroma Smooth/sharp is worth the investment. The de-interlacers, Gamma and transitions are great and work in 10b.
Happy New Year
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com